Peer Review

Entrepreneurial Behavior

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Nov 8, 2016 by Business

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This free course is an adapted extract from an Open University course B322 Investigating entrepreneurial opportunities and is classified as an advanced level 20 hour course. It provides the opportunity to consider and reflect on the personal aspects involved in transforming an innovative idea into an entrepreneurial product, in addition to building an appropriate entrepreneurial team. This is both an online course and an online textbook. The site estimates that this will take 20 hours to work through.
Type of Material:: Online Course
Recommended Uses:: •Individual and group learners on self-paced learning mode; •Aspiring entrepreneurs in off and/or on the job learning environment
Technical Requirements:: No special requirements were needed. Used Chrome
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The site listed these goals/expected outcomes: After studying this course, you should be able to: - understand the nature of entrepreneurship; - understand the function of the entrepreneur in the successful, commercial application of innovations; - confirm an entrepreneurial business idea; - identify personal attributes that enable best use of entrepreneurial opportunities; - explore entrepreneurial leadership and management style.
Target Student Population:: •Advanced level online business course targeting novice, startup and/or experienced entrepreneurs. •Interested individual learners are also encouraged, i.e. upper college level
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Basic interest and knowledge in entrepreneurship or introductory experience in startup entrepreneurial venture is an added learning advantage. Portal surfing and cross-checking abilities are essential.

Content Quality

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Strengths:: •The learning material provided is clear, concise, conceptually well developed and integrated; •This material can be flexibly utilized for academic, on and off the job settings, as well as for individuals and groups; •Adequate information is provided, supported by relevant “test your understanding” exercises; •Appropriate activities are tied into pertinent chapters building a comprehensive learning experience.
Concerns:: •This is an adapted extract from an Open University course B322 Investigating entrepreneurial opportunities which makes it a very basic course though classified as advanced level course; •Depth and substance for this advanced level course is seriously in need of an appropriate research support and citation; •This material gives an impression of being self-contained but is very much dependent on its context and follow-up assignments. •For the many new entrepreneurs i have counseled, this would be daunting material and would discourage and dis-hearten them.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

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Strengths:: •This learning material is effective as a teaching tool since learning objectives and outcomes are clearly specified, i.e. charting the learning route and it milestones effectively; •Entrepreneurial concepts are progressively developed, evident from the conceptual links between entrepreneurship basics to personal attributes and leadership cum management style in entrepreneurial endeavors; •Entrepreneurial behavior can easily be integrated into curriculum assignments and utilized to measure student learning outcomes.
Concerns:: •Prerequisite knowledge requirement is implied but is not clearly spelled out for industry-based learners who might adopt on and/or off the job learning route; •Learning material effectiveness does not guarantee its efficiency, i.e. learning accumulation within a short period of time due to its heavy dependence on learner’s ability and style of learning. •While the course description stated that people would be able to examine and confirm a business idea, that did not happen.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

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Strengths:: •This learning material is easy to use given its clear instruction and module-chapter progression; •It’s highly interactive and engaging through multiple online activities (with answer) and surveys; •The inclusion of onsite results to survey participation enriches learner’s experience and enhances learning outcomes.
Concerns:: •The design quality of this learning material can be further improved by reducing cluttering caused by online information intrusions or learning disruptions like advertisements, suggestion task bars, pop ups and so forth. •This learning material is not available in app form, therefore it is not easily accessible via mobile devices and platforms.

Other Issues and Comments:: While the course promised " Entrepreneurial behaviour, will give you the opportunity to consider and reflect on the personal aspects involved in transforming an innovative idea into an entrepreneurial product. You will also learn how to identify the requirements for building an appropriate entrepreneurial team." at the beginning, it ended with "This free course provided an introduction to studying Business Management. It took you through a series of exercises designed to develop your approach to study and learning at a distance and helped to improve your confidence as an independent learner." I felt this was a sort of bait and switch approach and found it annoying. The course involved a lot of online reading which was long and not engaging. I also felt the advertising on the site was distracting.
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